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_ 408 Item Details($) Appropriations($) ITEM 288. First Year Second Year First Year Second Year FY2025 FY2026 FY2025 FY2026 earnings allowance for individuals in the CCC Plus, Community Living, Family and Individual Support and Building Independence waiver programs to incentivize employment for individuals receiving waiver services. DMAS shall lower the number of hours from at least eight hours but less than 20 hours per week requirement to at least four hours but less than 20 hours per week. The Special Earnings Allowance for waiver participants allows a percentage of earned income to be disregarded when calculating an individual's contribution to the cost of their waiver services when earning income. The current requirement is at least eight hours but less than 20 hours per week for a disregard of up to 200 percent of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and a disregard of up to 300 percent for individuals that work 20 hours or more per week. JJJ.1. Effective May 1, 2021, the Department of Medical Assistance Services shall increase the rates for agency- and consumer-directed personal care, respite and companion services in the home and community-based services waivers and Early Periodic Screening, and Diagnosis and Treatment (EPSDT) program by 6.4 percent. The department shall have the authority to implement these changes prior to completion of any regulatory process undertaken in order to effect such change. 2. Effective January 1, 2022, the Department of Medical Assistance Services shall increase the rates for agency- and consumer-directed personal care, respite and companion services in the home and community-based services waivers and Early Periodic Screening, and Diagnosis and Treatment (EPSDT) program by 12.5 percent. The department shall have the authority to implement these changes prior to completion of any regulatory process undertaken in order to effect such change. KKK. Effective July 1, 2021, the Department of Medical Assistance Services shall amend the State Plan for Medical Assistance to increase the practitioner rates for anesthesiologists to reflect the equivalent of 70 percent of the 2019 Medicare rates. The department shall ensure through its contracts with managed care organizations that the rate increase is reflected in their rates to providers. The department shall have the authority to implement these reimbursement changes prior to the completion of any regulatory process undertaken in order to effect such changes. LLL. The Department of Medical Assistance Services shall have the authority to amend the State Plan for Medical Assistance or any waiver under Title XIX of the Social Security Act to increase the income eligibility for participation in the Medicaid Works program to 138 percent of the Federal Poverty Level. The department shall have the authority to implement this change prior to the completion of the regulatory process necessary to implement such change. MMM. Effective July 1, 2021, the Department of Medical Assistance Services shall increase rates for skilled and private duty nursing services to 80 percent of the benchmark rate developed by the department and consistent with the appropriation available for this purpose. The department shall have the authority to implement these changes prior to the completion of any regulatory process to effect such changes. NNN. Effective, January 1, 2021, the Department of Medical Assistance Services shall amend the State Plan for Medical Assistance under Title XIX of the Social Security Act, and any necessary waivers, to authorize time and a half up to eight hours and effective July 1, 2021, up to 16 hours for a single attendant who works more than 40 hours per week for attendants providing Medicaid-reimbursed consumer-directed (CD) personal assistance, respite and companion services. The department shall have authority to implement this provision prior to the completion of any regulatory process undertaken in order to effect such change. OOO. Effective July 1, 2021, the Department of Medical Assistance Services shall have the authority to amend the State Plan of Medical Assistance under Title XIX of the Social Security Act to provide a comprehensive dental benefit to adults. The department shall work with its Dental Advisory Committee, including members of the Virginia Dental Association, the Virginia Health Catalyst, the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry, the Virginia Dental Hygienists Association, the Virginia Health Care Association, a representative of the developmental and intellectual disability community, the Virginia Department of Health and the administrator of the Smiles for Children program to develop the benefit. The benefit shall be modeled after the existing benefit for pregnant women. The benefit shall include preventive and restorative services and shall not include any cosmetic